Trash container compactor

ABSTRACT

A trash container compactor, which is adaptable to most common trash containers, provides a feature which produces a crushing force capable of increasing the storage capacity of a container by a factor several times its normal capacity, depending upon the type of refuse within the container. The compactor also provides the option of using a simple tamping method to increase the container volume intermittently, as refuse is inserted, when high compression is not a requirement.

[45 Oct. 24, 1972 United States Patent Wiebe [54] TRASH CONTAINERCOMPACTOR [72] Inventor:

764,634 7/1904 Ryan......................100/278 X 773 629 11/1904Cummings.............100/278 X Donald B. Wiebe, 1529 East CandlewoodAvenue, Orange, Calif. 306,112 10/1884ScheffeL....................100/227 92667 Primary Examiner-Billy J.Wilhite [22] Filed: April 19, 1971 ABSTRACT A trash container compactor,which is adaptable to 211 A No.: 135,175 I [52] U 5 Cl 100/227 100/228100/240 most common trash containers, provides a feature 100/278 100/295which produces a crushing force capable of increasing [51] Int Cl B30bU00 the storage capacity of a container by a factor several times itsnormal capacity, depending upon the type of refuse within the container.The compactor also pro- [58] Field of Search......

vides the option of using a simple tamping method to increase thecontainer volume intermittently, as refuse is inserted, when highcompression is not a requirement.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 340,307 4/1886Hansen...........-.......100/278 X 4 Claims, 10 Drawing FiguresHllllillll IL PATENTEDHCT24 I972 3,699,883

SHEEI 2 0F 2 "in ln'hif /NVENTOP TRASH CONTAINER COMPACTOR BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION My present invention relates generally to most commoncommercial trash containers in which an accumulation of refuse requiresthe compacting of a loose volume of material for the purposes ofproviding the utilization of the complete volume available, resulting ina corresponding reduction in the number of containers required forrefuse accumulation.

Households, apartments, restaurants, and commercial buildings all havesimilar problems involving the accumulation of refuse (i.e. garbage,cardboard cartons, rags, plant clippings, etc.) requiring that asufficient quantity of trash containers be made available for the properdisposal of the refuse. The size of the storage areas for thesecontainers has been a consistent problem to the foregoing establishmentsand many times this space deficiency has limited the quantity ofcontainers which may be stored.

The efficiency of the refuse collectors is handicapped by the number ofcontainers that are handled for each establishment, resulting in addedcosts or taxes for the owners and taxpayers. The storage capacities ofthe refuse trucks are limited by trash which is loosely deposited ineach container. Loosely deposited garbage is prey for rodents, dogs, andcats and is easily removed from any loosely filled container. Compactingtrash within a container by the hands or feet is awkward, dangerous andvery limited in obtaining desired results.

The state of the art in the design of a simple and effective method forcompacting refuse is seriously lacking and requires added stimulus toprovide the public with a means of supporting the ecological problemswith which we are faced today. This invention fulfills the initialrequirement for improving the existing state of the art by reducing thevolume of accumulated refuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tal tube of the post assembly. Cables areattached to both ends of the shaft assembly so as to form a winch. Quickrelease hooks are mounted to both ends of the cables for fastening tothe shaft and to the handles of the trash container. By turning thecrank the cables are wound around the shaft thereby moving the tampingplate against the refuse with sufficient crushing force capable ofcompacting the trash to its minimum volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING My invention will be more fullyunderstood and other features and advantages thereof will becomeapparent from the description given below of certain exemplaryembodiments of the invention. This description of the exemplaryembodiments is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingin which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the trash container compactor, includingthe winch assembly, having a structure or configuration in accordancewith this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the trash container compactor showing thestructure or configuration of the base;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the compactor having a structure orconfiguration is accordance with this invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view, of smaller scale, showing thecompactor in position with base firmly positioned against the trash of astandard trash container;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation, of smaller scale, showing the compactorwith the winch assembly removed and with the base firmly positionedagainst a partial volume of refuse;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the compactor showing the quick releasecable hooks and shaft locking pin in place.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view of the quick releasecable hook;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view of the winch shaftlocked in position;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side view of an adapter bracket for mounting totrash containers which do not have handles of sufficient strength forsupporting the cable tension loads;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view of FIG. 9 showing the adapter bracketattached to the side of the trash container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, thecompactor, generally referred to as 10, includes a subassembly whichcontains the base plate 11, the base plate supports 12, the verticalpost 13, and the horizontal tube handle 14. Within the horizontal tubehandle 14, the winch assembly generally referred to as 24, is positionedby the extension of the free turning shaft 17 which is rotated by thecrank handle 19, and joined by the crank arm 18 with a free turningfastener. Cables 20 are attached to each end of the shaft 17 by means ofquick release hooks 22 and likewise are attached to the trash containerhandles 25 by commercially available quick release hooks 21. The shaft17 is locked, after reaching a desired crushing force, by positioninglocking pin 23 into the slot of horizontal tube handle 14. The foregoing components are made into their basic assemblies by any appropriatemethod which results in the most economical manufacturing process whilemaintaining strength and functionability.

Referring to FIG. 2, openings 15 provide venting for trapped air toescape during the compacting operation.

The complete compactor assembly 10 with the winch assembly 24 attached,shown in FIG. 4, provides a pressing force. In accordance with the handforce on crank handle 19, a mechanical advantage is established whichresults in a high crushing force at the base plate 11 against the refuseby the reaction of this force through cables 20 into the handles 25 ofthe trash container 27. The crushing force is maintained by backing thelocking pin 23 into the notch of shaft 17 as shown in FIG. 6.

The compactor assembly 10 when used without the winch assembly 24installed, is shown in FIG. 5 positioned within a standard trashcontainer 27, for intermittent tamping of refuse. This is accomplishedby grasping the horizontal tubehandle 14 with both hands and tampingsmall quantities of trash without the aid of the winch assembly 24.

In FIG. 6 the winch assembly 24 is positioned within the horizontal tubehandle 14 with locking pin 23 retained in the slot of the horizontaltube handle 14. The shaft 17 is slotted on both ends to permit thefastening of cable hooks 22.

In FIG. 7, quick release cable hook 22 may be removed by slidinglaterally outward from the slot in shaft 17 in order to remove the winchassembly 24 when this assembly is not required.

In FIG. 8 the locking pin 23 is engaged in the slot of horizontal tubehandle 14.

In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 an adapter bracket 26 is provided for use inattaching the hook 21 when a trash container is not equipped with anappropriate handle of adequate strength.

While no specific types of materials and dimensions are mentioned above,it is to be noted that the lack of specific material reference is not tobe construed as limiting my invention in any manner.

It is to be understood that the particular embodiments of thisinvention, as described above and shown in the drawing, are merelyillustrative of, and not restrictive on, the broad invention and that Ido not desire to be limited in my invention to the exact details ofconstruction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurto persons skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A trash compactor for use with a trash container of a type havingsides, a bottom and a rigidized peripheral top edge, said containerbeing further provided with handles adjacent said top edge and fixed onlaterally opposite sides of said container, said compactor comprising,in combination:

a compactor plate adapted for horizontal disposition and verticalmovement within said container;

a post fixed to said plate and extending vertically therefrom;

a handle carried by an end of said post remote from said plate anddisposed laterally from said end, said handle being generally anelongated hollow tube;

a shaft rotatably disposed within said handle and having ends extendinglaterally from each end of said handle;

a crank secured to one end of said shaft; and

a pair of cables, one end of each of said cables being fixed to saidlaterally extending ends of such shaft to permit winding thereof aboutsaid shaft, free ends of said cables being adapted for connection tosaid handles of said container, whereby, the turning of said crank willcause movement of said plate and said compactor relative to saidcontainer, thus to compact material disposed in said container.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said compactor platebeing provided with air relief vents is secured to said vertical postfor adaptability to said common trash containers. 2

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said shaft said crankfree ends of cables are combined and readily installed or removed as anintegral unit by the

1. A trash compactor for use with a trash container of a type havingsides, a bottom and a rigidized peripheral top edge, said containerbeing further provided with handles adjacent said top edge and fixed onlaterally opposite sides of said container, said compactor comprising,in combination: a compactor plate adapted for horizontal disposition andvertical movement within said container; a post fixed to said plate andextending vertically therefrom; a handle carried by an end of said postremote from said plate and disposed laterally from said end, said handlebeing generally an elongated hollow tube; a shaft rotatably disposedwithin said handle and having ends extending laterally from each end ofsaid handle; a crank secured to one end of said shaft; and a pair ofcables, one end of each of said cables being fixed to said laterallyextending ends of such shaft to permit winding thereof about said shaft,free ends of said cables being adapted for connection to said handles ofsaid container, whereby, the turning of said crank will cause movementof said plate and said compactor relative to said container, thus tocompact material disposed in said container.
 2. The invention accordingto claim 1, wherein said compactor plate being provided with air reliefvents is secured to said vertical post for adaptability to said commontrash containers.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein saidshaft, said crank free ends of cables are combined and readily installedor removed as an integral unit by the release of said cable on the endof said shaft which is opposite said crank handle.
 4. The inventionaccording to claim 1, wherein said shaft is slotted to receive said freeend of cable.